<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Fighting Spirit by SadieandJack</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27526663">Fighting Spirit</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadieandJack/pseuds/SadieandJack'>SadieandJack</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>CSI: Crime Scene Investigation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 06:07:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,984</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27526663</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadieandJack/pseuds/SadieandJack</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Grissom is going to Washington to do lectures and Sara feels angry about it. An accident makes them see that they need each other.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gil Grissom/Sara Sidle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fighting Spirit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I walked into the bathroom looking at myself in the mirror. A night out with the guys and I looked like death ten times over. I sighed turning on the water in the sink.</p><p>"Sara?" Grissom called, from the bedroom.</p><p>"What?" I snapped</p><p>He walked over standing by the door. I slowly got out the toothpaste squirting it on my toothbrush.</p><p>"I told you not to do it." He said "I suppose from now on you'll listen to me."</p><p>I glared at him with white foam from the toothpaste sticking out of my mouth. He just stood there watching me angrily brushing then I spit. I felt my head pound as I leaned over the sink groaning. He walked away leaving me to my misery.</p><p>I came out of the bathroom seeing my clothes on the bed. I sat down beside them lying back on the bed closing my eyes. Grissom came back in getting something. He walked over grabbing my arms pulling me to sit up. I groaned as he got my shirt starting to dress me.</p><p>"Sara, get dressed. We need to leave."</p><p>"Leave me alone!" I said, grabbing my head.</p><p>I came out seeing him getting the car keys from the kitchen island. He turned looking me up and down.</p><p>"Your hair is messy, but we don't have time. Come on."</p><p>He pulled me to the front door. We got into the car and I laid my head against the cold glass window closing my eyes. Grissom started the engine looking at me as he flipped on the radio turning the volume up. I winched putting my hands on my ears looking at him. He smiled turning it off then he drove.</p><p>We got to the lab in record time. Grissom opened my door as I slid out of the seat. He closed the door giving me a smile.</p><p>"I hate you so much!" I said</p><p>He chuckled walking past. I followed slower. Nick, and Greg looked as bad as I did. They nursed their coffees at the breakroom table holding their heads up with one arm. I walked in seeing them.</p><p>"Hey." I said</p><p>"Hey." They both said</p><p>I sat down beside them sipping my cup of coffee.</p><p>"I feel so terrible." Greg said</p><p>"Me to." Nick said "I feel like a slug."</p><p>"How did we get home?" I asked</p><p>Nick looked at me thinking.</p><p>"I don't remember."</p><p>"I think we took a cab." Greg said</p><p>"You were supposed to the designated driver." Nick said, looking at Greg.</p><p>"Oh yeah." Greg said</p><p>I rolled my eyes looking over seeing Grissom walking in seeing us.</p><p>"We were so tanked. For all we know we walked to our houses." I said</p><p>"I took you all home." Grissom said, walking over to us.</p><p>"You?" Greg asked, looking up at him.</p><p>"I had texted Sara, but she didn't answer so I drove over to the bar. You were all very intoxicated and I drove you home."</p><p>"Thank's man." Nick said</p><p>"Now that we have solved the mystery why don't you all get to work?"</p><p>We all three groaned getting up walking to the door.</p><p>"I want to puke." Greg said</p><p>"If you puke on me I will hurt you." Nick said</p><p>"Sara?" Grissom called</p><p>I turned at the door looking at him. He motioned me over to him. I walked over watching him pull out some aspirin from his pocket.</p><p>"Take these."</p><p>"Thank's." I said</p><p>He smiled a little watching me walk out. After taking the pills my headache pain slowly disappeared. At break, I brushed my hair looking like my normal self.</p><p>Grissom was at his desk in his office when I appeared at break. He was on his phone watching me walk in closing the door behind me. I smiled at him walking around the desk landing across this lap. He moved the phone to his right ear giving me a frown. I moved in kissing his neck.</p><p>"That would be great. This is exactly what I need right now." He said</p><p>I got closer finding the spot below his ear that drove him crazy. He tapped my head. I lifted it up moving back as he shook his head listening.</p><p>"Yes, I will. Thank you." He said, before hanging up.</p><p>"What would be great?" I asked</p><p>"A lecture on forensics in Washington in two weeks." He said "It means a month gone from here."</p><p>I sat up more looking at him.</p><p>"A month?"</p><p>"Sara don't look at me like that. This is important."</p><p>I continued to stare at him.</p><p>"You know our busy time is coming up." I said</p><p>"I am getting a replacement." He said "I should call him."</p><p>He pushed me up opening his drawer to get out his book of phone numbers. I watched him look through it then he dialed the number on his phone sitting back looking at me.</p><p>"D.B., this is Gil Grissom." He said "How are you doing?"</p><p>I walked to the door opening it then slamming the door. Grissom watched me go as he listened.</p><p>Shift ended, and I refused to talk to Grissom. He drove us home locking my side of the car, so we could talk. I just looked ahead.</p><p>"Sara, I need you to understand. I have wanted to do a lecture like this for a long time. If it works out I want to continue doing them."</p><p>"Your going to forget about me." I said "You'll just leave and then what?"</p><p>"Sara, I will never forget about you. I love you. When we married I vowed never to leave you." He said, looking at my profile.</p><p>I looked at him.</p><p>"I would say you just did." I said</p><p>"Honey, I…."</p><p>"I want you to go." I said "I want you to go and see what's out there. When you finish remember that you are married."</p><p>He gave me a hurt look.</p><p>"I want to go inside." I said</p><p>The door was unlocked, and I ran out not wanting him to see me cry. He stayed in the car for a while. I went to sleep faintly hearing him move around in the room. He got into bed moving up against me. His arm rested on my waist touching my stomach. I moved then stilled as he sighed.</p><p>"I promise to come back, Sara." He said, whispering.</p><p>The next day I came out of the bedroom dressed for work looking pale. Grissom looked at some mail by the desk in the living room. He glanced at me as I walked to the kitchen. He put the letter down walking over seeing me drinking from a bottled water.</p><p>"No coffee?" He asked</p><p>I shook my head drinking again. Grissom walked over taking the bottle from my hands placing it next to me on the counter. I looked at his shirt as he looked at me.</p><p>He leaned into kiss me, but I moved my head to the side.</p><p>"Sara, look at me."</p><p>I shook my head. He put his hand on my chin moving it till I looked at him.</p><p>"I am sorry." He said</p><p>"You're still going?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>I moved my head to the side again. His hand went to my cheek.</p><p>"We had better make a move."</p><p>His hand fell from my cheek before he walked away. I watched him go feeling a tear go down my cheek.</p><p>We got to the lab after a silent car ride. Grissom walked towards his office as I stood watching him.</p><p>"Grissom?" I called</p><p>He stopped turning looking at me. I walked over slowly without any warning I put my lips on his. He tried to pull away, but I put my arms around his neck keeping him there. I knew we were being stared at. He tried again to move pushing his hands against my waist. I would not budge. I counted to twenty before releasing him. He backed up in shock as I stared at him. He grabbed my arm pulling me to his office. Once inside he slammed the door shut looking at me.</p><p>"What was that?" He asked</p><p>"I just kissed you." I said</p><p>"You know the rules!" He said "You could be fired for this behavior!"</p><p>"Grissom, I am sorry. I was being selfish about this."</p><p>He just stood there flexing his jaw. I knew he was thinking about how to punish me.</p><p>"I will give you two choices. You will transfer to day shift, or you can be fired."</p><p>"What?" I asked</p><p>"Which is it to be?"</p><p>"Your joking!"</p><p>"I am deadly serious!" He said</p><p>I swallowed feeling my heart racing.</p><p>"I…. day shift."</p><p>"I will sign the paper. Go home and think about your future." He said, handing me the car keys.</p><p>He walked past me to his desk as I turned watching him. I threw the keys on his desk causing him to look at me.</p><p>"I know my way home." I said, before leaving.</p><p>When I got home I ran to the bedroom feeling the flood waters open. I was so mad at myself and Grissom. I packed my clothes and got a cab to take me to a hotel close to work. My cell phone went off next to me in bed. I looked at the caller then I put it down. It rang again and this time I answered putting it on speaker.</p><p>"Sara?" Grissom said</p><p>"What?" I asked</p><p>"Where are you?" He asked, concerned.</p><p>"I am someplace safe." I said</p><p>"Safe from who?" He asked "Honey, why don't you come home?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Let me come talk to you."</p><p>"No, I want to be alone."</p><p>He was quiet for a moment.</p><p>"I need to go." I said</p><p>"Wait, I understand you are upset, but…."</p><p>I hung up putting a pillow over my head as it rang over and over finally stopping. I arrived in the morning seeing the supervisor. He put me on a solo case. I went to an empty house that looked like something Dracula would prefer. Inside the floor was in bad shape. I walked carefully into a back room where the body of a teenager was lying. The floor creaked making me nervous. I knelt down seeing she had been strangled with a wire of some sort. She had a clump of hair in her left hand. I took it as well as some photos. As the body was being taken away I walked into every room looking around. The stairs up were rickety. I climbed up careful not to step on the bad parts. The rooms upstairs were empty and dark.</p><p>"Sara?" Brass called, from below.</p><p>"Yeah?" I yelled back</p><p>"I need you outside a moment."</p><p>"Okay." I said</p><p>As he walked out the front door I walked back coming down the stairs. I touched the banister hearing a loud creaking. The stairs dropped, and I landed below with a thud.</p><p>Brass turned just as a large dust cloud spilled outside as he heard a crash. He ran in with some cops seeing the stairs were gone.</p><p>"Sara!" He yelled</p><p>"I'm here." I said, coughing as I moved winching in pain. "I'm hurt!"</p><p>"I am coming down!" He said</p><p>I crawled over to a wall smelling wet dirt. My close were muddy. Brass opened a door giving the room I was in light. I looked around seeing it was just a muddy cellar. He shined his flashlight down seeing me. He crept down the stairs running over.</p><p>"Where are you hurt?" He asked</p><p>"My side and my leg." I said</p><p>He looked at my side seeing a bruise starting to form.</p><p>"Broken ribs." He said, getting his phone out.</p><p>"I'll be okay." I said</p><p>"Sit tight." He said, dialing a number. "This is Captain Jim Brass. I am at 466 Titus Street. I need an ambulance. I have a CSI down."</p><p>He hung up his phone putting it away then he looked at my leg.</p><p>"It's just a scratch." I said</p><p>He shined his light on it looking at me. I looked seeing a large piece of wood sticking out.</p><p>"That's doesn't look like a scratch." He said</p><p>I shook as he put down the light tearing my pants leg. He looked at the wood then at me.</p><p>"Okay, I am going to take it out." He said, taking his tie off.</p><p>"No. I think you should just leave it!" I said</p><p>He put his hand on my shoulder.</p><p>"Sara, your going into shock. If I don't get this out, you'll bleed out." He said</p><p>I looked at the wood then at him.</p><p>"I want you to bite on my tie."</p><p>"No!" I said</p><p>"Sara, your strong. You can do this."</p><p>I started to breathe heavily looking at him afraid. He nodded then he gently placed his hands on the wood. I swallowed watching him get ready.</p><p>"1….2…3!" He said, shouting the last number. I screamed when he pulled out the wood. I moved around as the pain exploded and I saw stars. Brass quickly put his coat over my wound. I muffled screams as he put his unbloodied hand on my cheek. I looked at him feeling darkness coming. I fell back dropping his tie.</p><p>Grissom braked his car causing it to squeal. He jumped out of Tahoe running through the cars to the ambulance jumping inside as the paramedic put in an IV into my hand.</p><p>"I am her husband." He said "Is she all right?"</p><p>"Broken ribs and a laceration on her leg. She has lost a lot of blood." The man said</p><p>Grissom looked at the bandage around my leg. He moved as the paramedic got out then he moved up where my head was. I faintly felt his hand on my cheek. I moved my head slowly opening my eyes seeing him.</p><p>"Hey." I said</p><p>"Hey." He said, gently moving his thumb across my cheek.</p><p>"How…was your day?' I asked</p><p>He smiled a little.</p><p>"Lonely." He said "How was your day?"</p><p>"Rough."</p><p>He smiled again searching my eyes. I took a breath closing my eyes then opening them.</p><p>"Grissom….I am sorry…about what I did, or said."</p><p>"Me to. I was harsh towards you."</p><p>"Coming in." The paramedic announced.</p><p>Grissom moved so the man could come in.</p><p>"I will follow behind. I need to talk to someone." Grissom said</p><p>I let go of his hand watching him leave. He came out shutting the door. I closed my eyes while the ambulance started to drive.</p><p>When I woke next people were surrounding me asking my name and checking me over. I felt them putting new bandages on my wounds and I fainted.</p><p>Grissom waited in the waiting room as the doctor came out.</p><p>"Gil Grissom." He said "How is my wife?"</p><p>"We had to operate. She had internal bleeding in the abdomen. We were able to stop it. These next hours are critical."</p><p>Grissom sighed nodding.</p><p>"You can see her." He said, opening the door.</p><p>Grissom walked in with him seeing me in a bed next to the window while an older woman was lying in the next bed. He closed the curtain a little then he leaned over kissing me on the head. I didn't move as he stood back touching my hand.</p><p>I moved hours later taking a breath. Grissom sat reading a case file next to me. He put the file down and stood taking my hand in his.</p><p>I took another deep breath. Grissom watched me open my eyes slowly looking around.</p><p>"Ssh, it's okay." He said</p><p>"Mmm." I moaned</p><p>"Ssh." Grissom said "Your going to be okay."</p><p>A nurse came in giving me some medication. The pain disappeared, and I was left feeling loopy. Grissom whispered words of comfort as he smoothed my cheek.</p><p>He left to go home as I slept. My dreams were weird and scary. When I woke Grissom was sitting beside the bed again looking rested. He took my hand as I looked at him.</p><p>"Gris?" I said, weakly.</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>"You…. should go." I said</p><p>"Catherine can handle the lab." He said, looking at me.</p><p>"You…should…. go to…. Washington."</p><p>"I don't want to think about that now."</p><p>I moved my head to stare at the ceiling. Grissom sat on the bed looking at me.</p><p>"Sara, I told them I can't do lectures right now."</p><p>I looked at him.</p><p>"No, I…want you to."</p><p>"You are my main responsibility right now. I can do it some other time."</p><p>He lifted my hand kissing it. I reached up wiping my tears going down my cheek.</p><p>Two weeks later I was able to go home. Grissom took me back home. I let him help me up the steps. He let me into the house smiling at me as I looked around.</p><p>"How are you feeling?" He asked</p><p>"Good." I said, looking at him as he walked over.</p><p>He kissed me slowly then he moved back still holding me.</p><p>"I want you to go to Washington." I said</p><p>"No, I am staying here."</p><p>"Grissom!"</p><p>"Sara!"</p><p>"You can't do this."</p><p>"I want to stay with you."</p><p>"I am going to feel guilty about this."</p><p>He sighed looking at me.</p><p>"You have no reason to."</p><p>"Please go." I said "I will be fine."</p><p>He flexed his jaw looking at me.</p><p>"If I leave and you have an accident."</p><p>"Grissom, I won't have one. I need you to go and I will be here when you get back. I promise."</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>I smiled at him.</p><p>"Good."</p><p>"I reinstated you back to night staff." He said "As your boss I want you to behave and rest for a week before you may go back to work."</p><p>"Deal."</p><p>He leaned in kissing me again. I felt like we were on the same page again. I would miss him, but I knew he would return soon enough.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>